List of city nicknames in Alaska

This partial list of city nicknames in Alaska compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities and towns in Alaska are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce.

City nicknames can help establish a civic identity, help outsiders recognize a community, attract people to a community because of its nickname, promote civic pride, and build community unity. ^[1]

Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth" ^[2] are also believed to have economic value. ^[1] This value is difficult to measure, ^[1] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves with new slogans. ^[2]

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

Homer's welcome sign proclaims its nickname.

• Anchorage
  • Air Crossroads of the World ^[3]
  • Anchortown ^[4]
  • The City of Lights and Flowers (or City of Lights) ^{[3] [4] [5]}
  • Hanging Basket Capital of the World ^[6]
  • Los Anchorage ^[7]
  • Rage City (in reference to roller derby and punk culture) ^{[8] [9]}
• Cordova
  • Clam Town ^[10]
• Fairbanks – The Golden Heart City ^{[11] [12]}
  • Scarebanks
  • Squarebanks
• Haines – Eagle Capital of America ^[13]
• Homer
  • Halibut Capital of the World; Halibut Fishing Capital of the World ^[14]
  • Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea
• Kenai – The Village With a Past, the City With a Future ^[15]
• Ketchikan – King Salmon Capital of the World ^{[16] [17] [18]}
• Knik – Dog-Mushing Center of the World ^{[4] [19]}
• Kodiak – King Crab Capital ^[20]
• Sitka
  • First City of Alaska ^[21]
  • The Natural Place to Visit ^{[22] [23]}
  • The Rock

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States
• List of places in Alaska

References

1. Muench, David (December 1993). "Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts" (PDF). University of Wisconsin Extension. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2007.
2. Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City :) Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine , MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
3. Air Crossroads of the World, Ground Support, April 2006."Increased tourism has halted those perceptions and Anchorage is now known as the "City of Lights and Flowers", a bustling city with a formidable backdrop of glaciers and mountains."
4. U.S. City Monikers, Tagline Guru website, accessed January 5, 2008
5. Make me feel brand new ^{[ permanent dead link ]}, Anchorage Press , May 17, 2006.
6. Horn, Yvonne (2005-06-08). "'Winter camp' keeps Anchorage's fuchsias fresh for summer season". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
7. "Alaska Cultural Connections: Los Anchorage - Alaska Public Media". Alaskapublic.org. 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
8. "Ragecityrollergirls.org". Ragecityrollergirls.org. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
9. "Rage City Rockers | PJ Franco and the BurnOuts". Pjfatbo.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
10. Cordova, Alaska profile, accessed March 29, 2007.
11. Shakespeare Marathon Archived 2007-03-14 at the Wayback Machine , KTTC, March 10, 2007. "Fairbanks, Alaska is a city known for its quirkiness, things like playing baseball at midnight and turning solid blocks of ice into works of art. But the "Golden Heart City" has another passion, one that may surprise you."
12. Rebecca George, The Golden Heart City celebrates its golden past Archived 2011-09-04 at the Wayback Machine , Fairbanks Daily News Miner , August 6, 2009.
13. Claims to Fame - Birds Archived 2008-01-10 at the Wayback Machine , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
14. Homer, Alaska Archived 2008-09-18 at the Wayback Machine , accessed March 29, 2007. "Homer, Alaska, is considered the halibut capital of the world -- or so locals claim."
15. Kenai, Alaska website Archived 2012-11-26 at the Wayback Machine , accessed March 29, 2007.
16. "A Fleet of Ferry Ships to Offer Motorists a 'Marine' Highway to Skagway, Alaska; Enthusiasm Shown Summer Side Trip", The New York Times , March 8, 1963. "The Ferry Ships put in along The route at Ketchikan, 'The king salmon capital of The world'..."
17. Faber, Harold (1993-09-12). "The World Capital of Whatever". The New York Times . Retrieved 2018-11-15.
18. Claims to Fame - Fish Archived 2008-02-18 at the Wayback Machine , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
19. Knik - Fairview Alaska Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine , accessed March 29, 2007. "Knik is a check-point for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, and is called the 'Dog Mushing Center of the World.'"
20. Claims to Fame - Food Archived 2017-04-01 at the Wayback Machine , Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
21. A Prairie Home Companion at Sea: Alaska 2006, accessed March 29, 2007.
22. Sitka Convention & Visitors Bureau, accessed March 29, 2007.
23. Tagline Guru City Branding Survey, Tagline Guru website, accessed August 18, 2009